


By the way, I forgive you.

by mw4vt9



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-07 05:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18230732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mw4vt9/pseuds/mw4vt9
Summary: Setting is after Episode 15, O Brother, Where Art Thou?  Slightly different start than canon.Alex is the one that goes looking for Lena, saving her from Lex in an effort that ends in Lena and Alex both finding out Supergirls true identify.  They're hurt, both shocked by the lies.  Lena's left to process Alex saving her, the sad look in Alex's eyes about her sister, and the way Alex steps up, ready to help Lena with her own heartbreak over it all.





	By the way, I forgive you.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [augustrain3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/augustrain3/gifts).



"Have you heard from Lena?" Alex asks Kara the second she steps in the door.

"No," Kara says, features questioning and then concerned in almost an instant.  "When I left James's, it was just Kelly there."

"Weird," Alex says offhandedly, gears inside her brain already turning.

"I came to see if you wanted food," Kara says.  "I was going to get some from Kelly and me, but I wanted to ask you."

"I'm good," Alex says quickly, already reaching to grab her jacket.  "I'm just going to go check on Lena."

Kara gives her a weird look, like she wants to say something but stops short, like she isn't quite sure how to word what she wants to say.  "I'll call you later," is the last thing Alex says before she's out the door.

__

It doesn't take Alex long to find the mansion, well used to going back and forth to the Luthor manor when Ruby was its main occupant.  It's cloaked which surprises Alex.  Since Reign's defeat, the mansion had been clear as day to see, nothing else to hide.  Something doesn't feel right to Alex as she pulls up to the key pad, something off in the uneasiness that she feels in her gut.

She types the numbers in, watching as the mansion makes itself visible again.  Alex drives up slowly, taking her time to take in the space outside.  That's when she notices them.  There are men, at least ten, on the ground, easily identified as dead with a quick pulse check of each one.

Alex's instincts kick in immediately, right hand going to her gun at her hip, left slightly out to protect herself if someone comes out of nowhere.  She looks at the men quickly, crouching down so she'll see if anyone comes up while she is bent down.  DOC is written in yellow across their bullet proof vests.  The identification does nothing to help Alex identify what the hell is going on here.

Alex walks closer to the building, listening, walking carefully.  She stands at the door, ear pressed to it, but she hears nothing inside.  She's quiet as she sneaks inside, softly opening the door, carefully crossing the threshold into the mansion.

There are more dead officers as she crosses the room towards the study, knowing that is where Lena spends most of her time when at the mansion.

Alex peaks around when she hears the clicking of heels on the floor, thinking initially that it's Lena, before she sees Eve.  Alex almost makes her presence known, almost thinks that Eve needs help, until she notices Lena, tied to a chair, out cold.

Eve's got a gun in her hand, dangling precariously between her fingers as she paces.  She has a phone in her other hand, waiting.  Alex raises her gun, stepping out into the room, Eve's head snapping up at the intrusion.

"Director Danvers," Eve says, what looks like relief washing over her features.  Alex doesn't lower her gun.

"I just got here," Eve continues.  "Lena was tied up, all of these dead officers.  I didn't know what to do."

Alex doesn't lower her gun, but speaks, "who did this?"

"Lex," Eve answers, "Lena was working with Lex to finish the serum that saved James."

Alex stops short in her advancement, slightly surprised by the answer.

"I came in and found her, and I didn't know what to do," Eve repeats, and Alex knows most people would believe her, most people would let it be, but there was always something about Eve nagging at Alex this entire time.  She was never quite able to put a finger on it until now.

"Step away from her," Alex says, voice stern, gun pointed right at Eve.

"I would never hurt Lena," Eve begins, but stops short at the look Alex gives her.

"I will kill you," Alex says.  "If you step towards her, I will not hesitate.  You can walk out of that door to whatever you want to do, but you will not hurt her."

Eve looks like she wants to protest, looks between Lena and Alex, at the barrel of Alex's loaded gun.  Alex finger hovers at the trigger as she watches Eve's eyes move from her to the gun in Alex's hand.  Alex knows she'll be able to fire before Eve can even get a good hold on her gun.  She watches the contemplation in Eve's eyes before she's gone, taking the exit behind her, out into the courtyard, and away.  Alex doesn't lower her gun.  Instead, she walks towards Lena, hand steady if needed.

She checks her pulse and lets out a sigh of relief that she's alive.  Alex stands with her, thinking, body on high alert.  She can't leave Lena here.  She also can't carry her and get anywhere on her bike.  Just as Alex starts to feel a little hopeless, she hears a sharp intake of breath.

Alex moves quickly, tucking her gun into its holster, and moving to untie Lena.

"Alex, it was Lex.  He's going to hurt a lot of people," Lena says in a rush of slightly slurred words.

"It's ok," Alex says, reaching up to grab Lena's hand, trying to calm her down.  "We are going back to the DEO.  We will figure this out."

Lena looks shaken, confused, a tear at the corner of her eye as she nods at Alex like she doesn't want to go with her but knows she doesn't have many other choice.

"Can you walk?" Alex asks.  Lena shakes her head, like she's shaking the fog away, right before she puts her game face on.

"Yes, we have to hurry Alex," Lena gets out as she stands.  Neither one of them look back when they're speeding towards the DEO.

__

The minute Alex speaks at the DEO, there is nothing short of absolute alarm.  Lex Luthor is free, out of prison, and somewhere in National City, maybe.  Really, he could be anywhere in the world, doing anything.

"Tell us what happened," Alex says, looking at Lena softly, nothing but concern on her and Brainy's face.

"He was dying Alex," Lena says so softly, the sound of Alex's name entirely too much like the brother who she had wrongly trusted yet again.

"He had cancer, and he wanted to see me so I agreed because I knew he would help me crack the serum.  He did, of course he did, but he used it on himself too.  And Eve," Lena says, eye immediately filling with tears at the thought of it, "she betrayed me.  She's been working for him this entire time."  
  
Lena's eyes look panicked, a tear trickling down her cheek that she quickly wipes away.

"I played right into his hand," Lena says, quietly, like if Alex doesn't say exactly the right thing she will shatter.

Alex nods to Brainy, waiting patiently as he leaves the room.

"You've got two minutes," Alex says, Lena looking at her with confusion clear on her face.  "You've got two minutes to fall apart over this.  I've got you.  After that though, we have to get to work."

Lena leans heavy into Alex, arms wrapping around Alex's neck.  Alex holds her close, tight as Lena's body shakes with sobs.  Alex can feel the wet tears on her shoulder, can feel Lena's jagged breathing as her chest rises and falls.

When Lena pulls back, she makes eye contact with Alex.  In an instant her face changes, morphing from sadness to pure focus.  It's terrifying and brilliant at the same time, the steal resolve that crosses her features.

"We are going to find him," Alex says, "and we are going to take him down."

__

Alex knows as she stands on top of the L Corp building that she'll think back on these turns of events one day and wonder how in the hell all of the pieces came together to make this moment.  The moment that Lex Luthor is standing precariously close to the edge of the building, Eve standing next to him, both looking between the other people on the roof, a menacing stare on Lex's face.  Standing in front of Lex, facing towards Alex, is an exact copy of Supergirl but Russian, made from the same Harun-El that separated Sam and Reign.  She looks worse for wear, after a long fight with her exact copy, ending in her confusion, ending in the moment that she is looking at Lex, and back at the American Supergirl, and back to Lex.  Supergirl is just a few feet away from her, hands on her hips, voice low and pleading, trying as hard as she can to get through to Russian Kara, to make her understand that Lex isn't Alex, that Lena isn't evil, that everything they have been feeding to her isn't true at all.

Then, there is Alex and Lena, watching carefully, Alex ready to spring into action the second she needs to.  Alex watches Lena carefully, the tears in her eyes, the stains where they'd already fallen today on her face.

"You, sweet, sweet sister," Lex finally speaks, drawing everyone's eyes to him.  "You could have ruled the world with me.  With your intellect and me there to push you, with me to get rid of all of this softness you've invited into your life, we could have saved humanity."

"Destroying it isn't saving it," Lena responds, trying to steady her voice, but Alex can tell it's about to break.

"I wanted to destroy Superman. Then, I wanted to destroy you," he says to Lena, voice hard, unyielding.  "You could have reigned with me.  Together, we would have been unstoppable.  But you stand here anyway to defend someone who sold you out," he says, head tilting to Eve.  "You stand next to a DEO agent, who would have shot our mother dead in a moment if needed.  You stand behind a Super.  You're a disgrace to the Luthor name.  But she gets it," he says, inclining his head to Russian Supergirl.  "She knows that the love is false, that it's a lie, that Alex and Supergirl don't actually love you, that Alex and Supergirl will never actually love her, that together we could be all powerful, all knowing, unstoppable."

"He is lying to you," Supergirl says to her copy.  "I," Supergirl starts to speak, but stops short, looking between Alex and Lena.

"Go ahead Supergirl," Lex says, "tell her why it isn't true.  Tell her why Lena and Alex love her, why they'll love her.  Because what could a DEO agent and the L Corp CEO ever feel for Supergirl?"

Kara knows what all of this is about then.  Lex knows, of course he knows, but Alex and Lena don't.  Kara looks back at the two of them, back at the Russian version of herself.  "Because Alex is my sister and Lena is my best friend," she says, "because Alex was willing to sacrifice everything for you, even her memories because she loves you.  And Lena, Lena made a super suit to protect you, to prevent you from taking in kryptonite just to save you even when she didn't know you were Kara.  She loves Kara even more.  Because they love you, they both do.  Stay with us.  I'll protect you and so will they."

It's so quiet on the roof, the wind silent, as the words seem to ring and ring and ring throughout the night.  Alex looks at Lena and back to Supergirl, back to Lena.  Her brain seems to be trying to connect, trying to remember something that she can't quiet bring to the forefront of her mind.  The tears in Lena's eyes don't quite match the fury on her face.

What follows just adds more madness to the scene, Russian Supergirl turning on Lex, taking him and Eve down easily, Lex on his knees in seconds, subdued by the two Kryptonians.

Alex follows Lena to the entrance of the roof and down the stairs, nothing but the sound of their feet echoing in the stairwell until they finally break through a door and into the quiet of Lena's office.

"Brainy," Alex says into her communication device, "Supergirl is coming in with all three of them.  Eve and Lex need to be locked up, securely, no body goes anywhere near Lex until I get there.  Under the sun lamps for both Supergirls."

"Yes mam," he says.

Alex turns to Lena then, both looking curiously at each other.

"I need to go to the DEO.  Do you want to?" Alex asks softly.

"No," Lena answers, blowing out a breath of air.  "I'm going home."

Alex watches Lena's retreating form go, wanting to go after her, wanting to comfort her, but she knows she has something else to do first.  She gives Lena's back one last look before she heads the opposite direction.

__

"Tell me everything," Alex says, standing between the two Kryptonians lying under the sun lamps.

Kara tries to sit up, but Alex pushes her back down.

"You need to rest," Alex says to her.  Kara's face blooms with hope, that Alex still cares enough to want to protect her.

"Colonel Hayley got a truth seeker to find out Supergirl's identify.  You asked J'onn to clear your mind of any memory of me being Supergirl to protect me," Kara pleads with Alex to understand.

"All of this time," Alex says, "I felt like something was missing, like I was going crazy, like there was something really important on the tip of my tongue that I couldn't remember."  Alex pauses, shaking her head slightly.  "You could have gotten hurt Kara, gotten killed, and I never would have known why you were in that kind of danger.  I could have backed you up, I could have been there."

There are tears in Alex's eyes.  One falls whens she blinks, and Kara's heart constricts painfully in her chest.

"You wanted to protect me.  You were protecting me," Kara says, voice trembling from her emotions.

"The truth seeker was removed the day after use.  Why didn't you tell me then?"  Alex asks, eyes locked on Kara.

"I," Kara begins before she stops, "I don't know."

Alex takes a step towards the door before she turns back to her sister.  "I'm going to go check on Lena, and we'll talk about this tomorrow, ok?"

Kara just nods because she can't quite speak over the lump in her throat.

__

It takes Lena a minute to open the door, Alex standing there wondering if she'll even open it at all.  Alex hands her the bottle of wine like a peace offering, like it'll erase the trauma of the last forty eight hours.  

"I'm surprised to see you," Lena says.  She's clearly been crying, crying more than any person should in the span of a day.

"Why?" Alex asks as she walks inside.  Lena's quiet as she grabs glasses and pours them each one.

"I guess I'm not surprised," Lena says, voice taking on a dangerous tone.  Alex can almost feel Lena shutting her out with her tone alone.  "I know you're here to tell me what'll happen to me if I tell the world that Kara is Supergirl.  I won't," Lena says, and Alex gets it immediately.

"I didn't know," Alex begins, but Lena raises a hand to stop her.

"You didn't know it would hurt me? Alex, I hate being lied to.  I have trusted five people in my entire life.  Jack, Sam, Kara, Eve, and you.  Jack is dead.  Sam is across the country.  Kara lied to me.  Eve lied to me.  You," Lena says stepping close to Alex, firm look on her face even though her lip quivers, "you lied to me."

Alex opens her mouth to speak but closes it again.  She takes a deep breath, slowing herself down with a sip of wine.  "It wasn't my secret to tell."

Alex knows it's risky, knows without a doubt that the words Lena had said to her just a short time ago could completely blow up in her face.  

"We got closer," Lena says, "we talked about so many things related to Supergirl, and you just lied to me, over and over again."  It's not what Alex expects her to say at all.

"I didn't," Alex says softly.  Hope bristles in her chest at the questioning look on Lena's face.  "I lied to you before because it wasn't my secret to tell, but when Hayley was trying to figure out what Supergirl's secret identify was, I had my mind wiped.  All of those talks we had, all of those conversations we had, I didn't know."

Lena looks at Alex carefully, the war about believing her or not clear on her face.

"I can't fault you for protecting your sister," Lena says, voice soft, eyes looking down at the floor.

"I," Alex says, voice quiet as she steps closer.  She reaches up, fingertips barely brushing Lena's chin to make the CEO look at her.  "I want to protect you too."

Lena takes a step closer just as Alex pulls her in, Alex's arms wrapping tightly around Lena, Lena's coming to rest around Alex's neck.  Alex holds her close, running a soothing hand up and down Lena's back.

Lena cries, like Alex has never seen her cry, entire body shaking, loud sobs escaping her that are absolutely heart wrenching.

Alex has no idea how long they stand there, how long Lena lets Alex hold her.

"What can I do?" Alex whispers into Lena's hair.

Lena leans back, just slightly to look into Alex's eyes.  Lena's make up is smeared from her tears even more than it had been, her eyes shining with tears.

It's almost imperceptible, the way Lena's lips barely brush Alex's, feeling like a ghost of air more than a press of lips.  And Alex knows Lena is giving her the chance to pull away.  She knows Lena is letting her make the decision.

So, Alex kisses her, lips pressed firmly together.  They don't move at first, both surprised, both a little lost in it.

Then, Lena's fingers move to tangle into Alex's hair and Alex grips her hips just a little bit tighter, and they start to move, lips sliding against each other, tasting so tentatively.

There is something in the back of Alex's find telling her to slow this down, to stop, but she can't think of much else when Lena begins to nibble at her bottom lip until Alex gets the hint, slipping her tongue inside Lena's mouth.  It's hot, everything kissing Lena Alex ever imagined it would be.

Alex steps them forward until Lena's back hits the wall, kisses heating up as Alex presses her body into Lena.  It's easy to get lost in it, to forget everything that has happened over the last couple of days, get caught up in everything that being pressed together is.

But Alex pulls back anyway because she has to, because they're both breathing hard, her heart is pounding, and she's seconds away from being unable to stop herself.

Alex kisses Lena again quickly, not letting them get carried away again.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" Lena asks, so softly, like if Alex says no it might break her entire world apart.

"Of course I will," Alex responds.  The kisses continue, soft and slow and sweet, only stopping long enough for them to get ready for bed.

Alex drops one last kiss on Lena's head before she wraps her up tight in her arms, only falling asleep when she knows Lena is.

__

When Lena wakes up the next morning, there are a few short minutes of peace.  Alex holds her tight, Lena too warm from the red head's body pressed against her, but she'd never move.  There's a very faint mark from Lena's lipstick on Alex's upper lip.  For a moment Lena can pretend they're just any two people who shared their first kiss the night before, two people who are spending their first night together.

In another world Alex would wake up and smile sweetly at her, they'd kiss and kiss and kiss.  They'd cuddle and spend the day giggling and holding hands.  Unfortunately for them, their lives are quite a bit more complicated than that, but they still get the small moment.

The small moment when Alex's eyes flutter open, when she grins at Lena so softly right before she yawns.  The small moment when Alex stretches out her arms and pulls Lena in tighter, a soft kiss pressed to her forehead.

Small moments of getting dressed in silence, of smiling at each other while Alex brushes her teeth with a borrowed tooth brush.

A small moment of a whispered, "Are you ready?"

"What if I say no?" Lena asks quietly, knowing that those small moments are dwindling quickly, time to head to the DEO getting closer.

"I've got you," Alex responds back.

Over the last few days, everyone has been making decisions for Lena, everyone from Lex to Eve to even Kara.  So, Lena makes a decision for herself.  She kisses Alex, a firm press of their lips together.  When she pulls back she takes Alex's hand.

She knows then that this will be easier, that Alex will protect her through it all, that even though she has been given every single reason not to trust people, Lena knows she can trust Alex.


End file.
